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Xyon
|common_name = Xyon |image_flag = Flag of Xyon.svg |image_coat = Coat of arms of Xyon.svg |symbol_type = Coat of arms |national_motto = Peace, Justice, Security |national_anthem = Dear Father Mikael |other_symbol_type = Emblem |other_symbol = |image_map = Xyon (planet).png |map_caption = The planet of Xyon |image_map2 = Xyon - Location Map (2016) - XYN.svg |map_caption2 = Location of major cities on Xyon |capital = Blackstone |latd= | latm= | latNS= |longd= |longm= |longEW= |largest_city = Oxida Nova |largest_settlement_type = city |largest_settlement = |official_languages = |religion = Mikaeanism |demonym = Mikaean |government_type = Dirigist |leader_title1 = |leader_name1 = N/A |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = Omata Morgana |leader_title3 = |leader_name3 = Lisa Krane |legislature = |sovereignty_type = Formation |established_event1 = |established_date1 = xx xxx xxxx |established_event2 = |established_date2 = xx xxx xxxx |established_event3 = |established_date3 = xx xxx xxxx |established_event4 = |established_date4 = xx xxx xxxx |area_rank = |area_magnitude = |area_km2 = 59282909 |percent_water = 1.1% (inland waters) |area_label = Total |area_label2 = Land |area_data2 = 28,455,796.32 km2 10,986,844.38 sq mi |population_estimate = 2,014,198,712 |population_estimate_rank = |population_estimate_year = 2015 |population_census = 2,008,156,116 |population_census_year = 2010 |population_density_km2 = 70.78 |population_density_sq_mi = |population_density_rank = |GDP_PPP = $138.482 trillion (∇114.940 trillion) |GDP_PPP_rank = 1st |GDP_PPP_year = 2015 |GDP_PPP_per_capita = $68,753 (∇57,065) |GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = |GDP_nominal = $138.482 trillion (∇114.940 trillion) |GDP_nominal_rank = 1st |GDP_nominal_year = 2015 |GDP_nominal_per_capita = $68,753 (∇57,065) |GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = |Gini = 37.6 |Gini_rank = |Gini_year = 2015 |HDI_year = 2015 |HDI = 0.946 |HDI_change = steady |HDI_rank = 1st |currency = Mikaean dollar (∇) |currency_code = MKD |time_zone = Xyon Universal Time (XUT) |utc_offset = -12 to +12 |date_format = dd-mm-yyyy NE |drives_on = right |cctld = .xy |calling_code = +1 }}Xyon, officially known as the Mikaean Directorate of Xyon, is a spanning the entire surface of the planet of the same name. Xyon is an dirigist run as a , with its seat of power located in the capital city of Blackstone. The government exercises its over thirty-seven sectors and three federal sectors, which are under the direct control of the Mikaean federal government. The official language of Xyon is . The nation has a total land area of 28,455,796.32 square kilometers (10,986,844.38 square miles), not counting total surface area, making it one of the ever recorded. Furthermore, Xyon also had an estimated population of two billion people as of 2015, making it the known to humanity. The planet of Xyon itself is located in the orbit of , a large blue-white star some twenty-five light-years away from the . The planet of Xyon itself has no moon and is about the size of , and revolves its parent star in a slight elliptical orbit. Very little about Xyon's prehistorical era is known aside from that told by the Mikaeans, who claim that their forefather, Mikael O'Neill, after whom they take their namesake, traveled to the planet , and establishing the Mikaean civilization more than six thousand years ago. Mikaean society grew from then on out, originating in the Verdant Plains of western Xyon, and spread across the rest of the planet over the next two thousand years during the Age of Growth into a series of familial entities known as households. These houses, consisting of a handful of fertile male Mikaeans and their millions and often tens of millions of female offspring, took over large portions of Xyon, and begin fighting over land and resources in a time known today as the Age of War in Mikaean history. This period of conflict lasting from 2000 BCE to 786 CE, resulted in the deaths of countless millions of Mikaeans, and provided insight into the callous nature of the Mikaean psyche. Xyon experienced irregular population growth as a result of these conflicts, as the households on the planet warred on endlessly. With the end of the Unification Wars in 786 CE by Judas the Great, the Age of War had been ended, setting off the beginning of the Age of Reason, during which time much of about Mikaean culture and society would be defined, giving rise to the many philosophical and ideological beliefs of the Mikaeans as a species. Talented artists, musicians, writers, and poets such as n/a, n/a, n/a, and n/a, were crucial to the formation of the Mikaean arts and literature, ushering in the Mikaean renaissance which came at the end of countless centuries of warfare. Mikaean technological growth and progress advanced steadily in the next four thousand years, as the efficient and productive nature of the Mikaeans had been allowed to grow outside of the battlefield, allowing for many technological innovations to appear long before they had in human society. Developments in the field of medicine and communications were made at stunning speeds, and the already rigid and inflexible nature of Mikaean culture had been allowed to truly coalesce into a single, homogeneous entity. In 1956, Xyon developed interstellar flight, allowing them to travel between stars at relatively quick speeds. Xyon discovered no habitable worlds outside of its solar system, with the exception of Earth in 1976. In 1976, first contact had been established with Earth, and official lines of communication opened up between the two worlds. However, tensions remain high between the two worlds, as Xyon, being the more advanced and populous of the two, often asserts itself aggressively in human political affairs. Currently, Xyon is regarded to be at least a full century ahead of humanity technologically, though it relies heavily upon manpower instead of automation. Xyon is major and , and classed as a which wields the by power-purchasing parity and . The nation wields power on a level that classifies it as a , and is an active supporter of . Xyon is a in human political circles, and possesses the ever recorded. Because of Xyon's overwhelming technological and military strength, preparation against a potential Mikaean invasion of Earth has often dominated many areas of human media and literature. Etymology The name Xyon is a corruption of the Hebrew word Zion by the first Mikaeans on the planet; a major hill outside of the city of and mentioned in the . The name had been selected by Mikael O'Neill in light of the world's mountainous nature and its pristine environment, almost regarded as holy in O'Neill's eyes. Prior to that point, the planet had no name nor a native population, prompting O'Neill to select his own. He had never expected the Mikaeans to call the planet "Xyon", though he adopted the name as the official pronunciation for the world, believing it to be more unique in his view. Before the Mikaeans inhabited the planet, the world was one of a handful of planets colonized by humanity in O'Neill's timeline. During this time, Xyon was known as "Vega Primus", given its location within the Vega star system. After successful temporal travel experiment, O'Neill renamed the planet Xyon, and that has been the name ever since. In the common manner of Mikaean culture and society, the name has not changed from its original spelling and pronunciation, and has remained current throughout the thousands of years of Mikaean history. History Age of Creation (4000–3600 BC) Antiquity Before the settlement of the planet by the Mikaeans around 4000 BC, no evidence of habitation by intelligent life on Xyon has been discovered by archaeologists. The first centers of dwelling sprung up on the western coast of Xyon along the Bay of Mikael, where modern-day Blackstone, Oxida Nova, and Karus are located. Several hundred ancient dwellings are located all along the coastline, and thousands of artifacts such as cooking utensils, statues, and weapons, have since been unearth at those locations, giving rise to the common understanding that the Mikaean Coast was the center of early Mikaean civilization. In accordance with Mikaean history and religious tradition, the oldest of these dwellings was the home of Mikael O'Neill, the father and creator of the Mikaean species. The Blackstone Estate is the earliest known permanent dwelling on the planet, and was built around 4000 BC, the same time Mikael was reputed to have traveled to the planet from another point in history, seeking to create the Mikaeans in his image. Very little information exists outside of the Mikaean Codex on the origins of the Mikaeans. All that is stated by the codex is that Mikael himself has arrived from another world, with the description given of the world placing it on a similar level as . The Mikaeans were created on Xyon as part of Mikael's desire to set up a civilization that thought and felt as he did, and shared the same philosophies and ideals he had long held throughout his left. One of the more outlandish concepts mentioned in the codex is that of temporal manipulation, better known as , which helped to explain the presence of the Mikaeans in a period of time preceding that of their creator's. While little evidence has been found to validate this potential myth, the fact that the Mikaeans refer to humanity directly without having come into contact with them prior to 1974, has given rise to many theories supporting the claims made in the codex. Aside from these, the origins of the Mikaeans and their colonization of Xyon come entirely from the Mikaean Codex and the records kept by Mikael himself. Colonization of the surrounding lands took place in later periods, with most centers of trade outside of the coastal region, having sprung up during the Age of the Forefathers – the time in which the Mikaeans began to spread out; and therefore after Mikael's presumed death in 3961 BC. Several ancient tablets recording the history of the Mikaean people were unearth outside of Skye, and also carried records of a thriving silk trade from Blackstone to Skye, clearly indicating that the western-most part of the Mikaean Coast had been colonized by at least 3800 BC. Evidence as to the settlement of the northern portions of the coast was eventually discovered in 1923, by a group of soldiers assisting a town following an earthquake near the city of Kessler. A bundle of copper dating back to the Age of Creation was forced to the surface following the quake, and was stamped with the seal of the city of Karus and bound for the north according the records found nearby, indicating the existence of a copper trade to the region during the era. The history of the first households is known to have begun immediately after Mikael's death, in line with his instructions that his sons spread out and settle the land. The first major settlement outside of the coastal region was Ashland in O'Neill, founded in 3903 BC. Records kept by House O'Neill show that the first patriarch of the house took time to gather the resources he needed for the journey outside of the modern-day Capital Region. Ashland was the first of several major settlements established outside of Mikaean Coast, and highlighted an important transition in the history of the Mikaean species. This transitional period span from the time of Mikael's death to the formation of the first households outside of the coastline, and the beginning of the later Age of Growth. House O'Neill, House Morgan, and House Arceneaux were the first households established immediately following Mikael's death, and would define Mikaean history as the ancient era of Mikaean civilization drew to a close. Rise of Mikaeanism Notably, the most important aspect of Mikaean history and civilization was the rise of Mikaeanism just before Mikael's death in 3961 BC. The growth of the religion had been spontaneous, and took place without Mikael's knowledge in the city of Bastion in 3973 BC. The Cult of the Father, founded by a group of Mikaeans who directly tended to the needs of Mikael and his work in the region, arose in the city under the guidance of Anais the Pious, the personal doctor to Mikael. She and her followers believed that Mikael was an agent of a higher power who was gifted the godlike power and authority to create life in his image, and was worthy of their worship and devotion, not just as his children, but as his devout followers. Though records show that Mikael was aware of rumors about the movement's growth, he was kept in the dark as Anais believed that Mikael would deny his godhood and give the facade of a humble individual so as to avoid worship of himself. The movement spread across Mikaean civilization within a few years of its foundation, with its membership exploding in size shortly after Mikael compiled and published the Ebon Chronicles, an autobiography of his life and works, which also contained a piece of his hair and enough biological material to prove his existence, as well as an image of himself and his signature beneath. The piece also contained his instructions to the Mikaeans and laws he wished them to follow, effectively and unknowingly giving the cult their holy book from the hands of their self-proclaimed deity. After Mikael's death, Mikaeanism was established as the official religion of the species as per an agreement of the first Mikaean patriarchs, and the Mikaean Alithian Church founded as the organized religious authority of the species. The religious nature Mikael had programmed into his children ultimately saw him becoming the god they would worship, and has remained so down into the modern day. Age of Growth (3600–750 BC) Age of Tribulation (750 BC–200 AD) Age of Conquest (200–1400 AD) Age of Unification (1400–1700 AD) Age of Reason (1700–1900 AD) Age of Stability (1900 AD–Present) Geography The nation of Xyon spans an entire planet of the same name, often called "Vega Primus" by human astronomers. The planet of Xyon itself is the largest terrestrial planet in the , with only a vast dust cloud located in the solar system, leaving the planet as the only celestial object in the immediate vicinity of the star. On Xyon itself its landmass consists of a single continent, and two large islands to its east and west. Collectively, these landmasses comprise a total area of 28,455,796.32 square kilometers (10,986,844.38 sq mi), out of a total surface area of 59,282,909 square kilometers (22,889,259 sq mi) on the entire planet. The total land area of Xyon is about 15% larger than the continent of , giving some relative comparison of size for those studying Xyon's geography. The largest continent, Frederick, makes up more than 97% of the total landmass on the planet, with the islands of Mitchell and Calvin, to the west and east of the continent respectively, as well as their neighboring island groups, making up the other 3% of the land area. Both islands are home to less than 2% of the total population of Xyon. As a whole, Xyon is heavily forested and highly mountainous and rugged, with the rest of the land either consisting of urban areas or farmland, and little flatland left undeveloped given the lack of available arable land on the planet. The population of Xyon is primarily located in the two lowland regions of Xyon, overwhelming those found in the Western Region of Xyon, where the Mikaean civilization originated. In this region, the bulk of Xyon's cities, lakes, and industrial centers are located, as well as the majority of the population. This contrasts greatly with the northern and southern regions of the planet, which are extremely mountainous and even impassible in some regions. However, in spite of these, many large towns exist within the numerous valleys and plateaus in the mountains, and serve as centers of trade and industry along the mountain passes transiting the region. The largest of the mountains on the planet is Mount Onyx, at a height of 8,857 m (29,060 ft) and located in the southern hemisphere of Xyon. Because of the size of the planet itself, Xyon lacks very few tectonic plates, and geological actively is low. There are four plates on the planet, two for the northern and southern hemispheres, and two for the central equatorial region of Xyon. These tectonic plates are similar to those found on Earth, but general lack the same level of activity, those Mikaean geologists have determined this to be a recent phenomenon. Xyon's geological aspects were once originally incredibly activity about fifty million years ago, and have declined in activity in only the past one million years. However, these is no conclusion as to whether or not Xyon is slowing becoming geological dead. Earthquakes in the north and south near the rugged regions of the planet are still commonplace, though the more settled flatland regions remain stable and free of high levels of geological activity. All known volcanoes are located in the regions where preexisting geological activity remain present. The last volcanic eruption on Xyon took place in 1964 in the Northern Region, though there were no casualties given the isolated location of the volcano. The water bodies of Xyon are clustered into two area, the western and the eastern flatlands, where the major rivers on the planet drain into the massive Great Occidental Ocean. The largest of the inland lakes are Lake Obsidian in the west and Lake Hyperion in the east. The rivers of Xyon are divided into two groups, those flowing into the oceans, and those flowing into the lakes. Of the rivers flowing directly into the ocean, the Sable River in eastern Xyon is the longest, followed closely by the Crimson River to its northeast. This distinction exists solely based on the fact that lakes of Xyon are hemmed off from the ocean by surrounding highlands near the coasts, preventing additional rivers from forming and flowing from the lakes into the seas. Both of Xyon's largest lakes are cut off from the ocean, instead forming as giant freshwater lakes on the mainland. It is around these two bodies of water where the majority of Xyon's population reside. Climate Due to the lack of an axial tilt for the planet, Xyon's climate is largely monotone in its variety. Almost all of the planet's surface is covered by the same climate with the exception of regions where the terrain plays a major part in the development of the local biome. The climate on Xyon is best described as an and a mix of the according to the . The planet-wide temperatures are relatively cool, with the average temperature hovering around 12°C (53.6°F) in most locations, with a high of about 18.2°C (64.9°F) during Xyon's with Vega, and 10.7°C (51.4°F) as the planet approaches its . Thanks to these traits, the temperatures on the planet between the latitudes away from the poles remain at a constant, allowing for a consistent and predictable weather pattern. Cloud cover on Xyon is permanent, with a constant grey overcast on the planet leading to most native Mikaeans having never seen the sun in their lifetimes. From space, Xyon appears quite similar to Venus, covered by perpetual dense fog, though grey in coloration. Fog is omnipresent on the planet, due no small part to the relatively cool conditions on the planet, combined with the large amounts of moisture present in the air and the ground, as well as the generally stable climate on the planet allowing for a worldwide blanket of fog to remain for centuries. The presence of extensive mountain chains across the width and breath of the planet help to amplify the extent of the fog, trapping it into the valley networks of Xyon and helping to redirect the flow of air moisture into this valleys, sustaining the lifespan of the fog banks. The combination of the cool climate, high moisture, and warm air trapped by the greenhouse produced by Xyon's clouds, have produced a permanent layer of fog on the planet that Xyon has never once been free of throughout its history of habitation. The clouds of Xyon have helped to regulate the planet's temperature, as well as maintaining the consistent humidity levels on the planet leading to heavy rainfall and dense fog. As a nature by-product of planet's consistent humidity levels, rainfall and thunderstorms are common occurrences throughout Xyon. The rainfall becomes intermediate and replaced by heavy snowfall during the autumn season (October–March), but picks back up during the monsoon season (April–September). The humidity levels on Xyon have never dropped below 90%, with barometers in Xyon typically record air pressure between 711.2 mm (28 in) and 812.8 mm (32 in) on a typical day, leading to iconic fog widespread throughout the planet. The low-visibility combined with the ever-present danger of flooding are chronic issues for Xyon, leading to traffic accidents and fatalities being one of the leading causes of death in the country. Despite this issues, the presence of a massive groundwater reservoir constantly replenished by the planet's farmlands, have gifted the populace highly fertile lands and abundant crops. As a whole, Xyon receives a shocking 2,362 mm (93 in) of rainfall every year, leading to the aforementioned flooding afflicting most parts of the planet. Biodiversity Environment Politics Government The government of Xyon is a , officially governed by the doctrines of dirigism, which has its origins in the country. The Mikaean constitution defines the government of Xyon as a "single-party state united under the banner of dirigism", and leaves no room for political change. However, from a visual perspective, the outside of the government, little of Mikaean politics adheres to the ideals of dirigism set by its founder, Mikael O'Neill. A strong patriarchal government instead rules in the place of the one originally intended by O'Neill, though many of his ideologies still influence the manner in which the Mikaean government operates. The government is dominated by the ruling Mikaean Brotherhood, the sole legal political party in the country, and the only political party to have existed within the borders of Xyon. The head of the Mikaean Brotherhood and by extension the government of Xyon, is the Supreme Director, who serves as the highest-ranking political authority in the country. The Supreme Director wields all major executive powers, and works in conjunction with the Advisory Council of Xyon, the nation's federal cabinet. The Supreme Director is elected to the post for a term of five years by the Supreme Federal Congress. The Supreme Federal Congress is the nation's unicameral legislative body, and is made up of representatives elected from throughout Xyon from the districts of the country. The Congress consists of 570 members, each representing one of the 565 districts of Xyon, including the capital city of Blackstone, and the four special districts consisting of Xyon's largest city of Oxida Nova, and its largest port and fourth-largest city, Karus, and their companion cities of Defiance and Bastion. In theory, the Supreme Federal Congress is suppose to create, ratify, and vote on laws for the nation, as well as counter the power of the Supreme Director. However, in practice, the Congress serves more as a rubber-stamp committee, simply passing any laws the Supreme Director proposes. Instead, the Supreme Director uses the Congress to gauge the needs of the people by taking part in the meetings of the legislature to moderate the debates of the Congress every five years. During the meetings of the Supreme Federal Congress, the needs of the state are evaluated, and goals selected to be accomplished within the next five years, which each politician is expected to met or exceed. Corruption within the government is rampant, with competing households vying for a position of power within the federal government of Xyon. While policies and decisions within the individual households are made with little issue or fanfare, actions to deal with minor affairs on the federal level often take weeks to resolve as the representatives from the houses of Xyon bicker with one another over pointless details as they maneuver for political gain. This has led to gridlock within the government on most issues, and outright conflict on issues pertaining to the planet as a whole. Coalition governments are commonplace as the houses attempt to prevent one house from gaining too much power, however, this has not been the case under the current administration. Almost all senior executive positions are held by members of House O'Neill, the first and paramount house of the Mikaeans. There has been little backlash against this as most Mikaeans view the household's power as a continuation of Mikael O'Neill's, the creator of the Mikaeans, original policies and goals. Officially, all politicians in Xyon follow a strict "up or out" policy, in which each politician must meet or exceed the goals for their office within their five year term, and must climb the political ladder of their government, or they are booted from their office to make way for a younger, better-equipped citizen to take over. However, in practice, most politicians hold onto their seats and keep younger aspirants from moving up the ranks. All of the members of the Supreme Federal Congress are directly elected by the citizens of Xyon to five year terms, from a state roster drawn up from the best performing politicians in each district. The same was originally true of the Supreme Director, who was elected from three of the top performing members of the Congress. Though the politics of rival households prevent this practice. In spite of this, Xyon is never in short supply of competent leaders and politicians thanks to the original edicts of the dirigist ideologies of the government. Administrative divisions Xyon is divided into thirty-seven semi-autonomous sectors and three federal sectors, each of which is governed by an elected official known as a sectorial commissioner. Each sector is based off of the historical boundaries of the Mikaean households which once governed themselves as independent nation-states before the formation of the federal government under the Blackstone Constitution in XXXX. The sectors themselves are further divided into districts, of which there are a total of 570, including the five federal districts of Xyon. Because of the vast size of Xyon's territory, the nation's sectors are all grouped into six regions, each of which is governed by a regional overseer directly appointed by the Supreme Director of Xyon. The terms of the constitution are such that all sectors are governed by the leaders or representatives of their traditional household. In most cases, the sectorial commissioner of a sector is often the patriarch of the household or his eldest son. Each sector of Xyon is generally free to govern its internal affairs independently of the federal government, which concerns itself only with matters pertaining to the collection of taxes, construction and maintenance of inter-sectorial expressways, and the defense of territory. Districts have no special powers and serve simply to execute the laws of the sector and maintain public services on the local level. The largest sector in Xyon is O'Neill and the smallest sector is Karus. It should be noted that in spite of the wide region of freedoms afforded to the sectors of Xyon, they are all still beholden to the federal authorities in the capital city of Blackstone, which runs the nation in a semi-unitary fashion when needed. However, because of the terms of the federal constitution, all sectors are governed by members of its traditional household, leading to old feuds and in-fighting between sectors to sprout up when left unchecked by the government. |} Law and justice Because of the vast size of Xyon, the constitution establishes a three-tier legal system in the country to deal with legal issues in a comprehensive fashion. The system is broken down into federal, sectorial, and districtual courts, each addressing legal disputes throughout Xyon. The highest court in the nation is the Supreme Court of Xyon, which operates independently of the national legislature and the executive, but is subject to the oversight of the Supreme Director. There are nine justices who make up the body of the Supreme Court, with the Supreme Justice of Xyon serving as the head of the court. Members of the Supreme Court are either directly appointed by the Supreme Director, or nominated by him should he be so inclined, and their nomination either accepted or rejected by the Supreme Federal Congress following a two-thirds majority vote. Supreme Court justices are elected or appointed by the federal government, hold their offices for life, though they can be removed from their position by the Supreme Director or on the recommendation of the Supreme Federal Congress following a two-thirds majority vote. As a whole, the judicial system of Xyon is often criticized by its human counterparts on Earth, given its high , and the often harsh sentencing of defendants on trial. It is not unknown for individuals going through the Mikaean court system to wait four or five years just to get a hearing before even passing on to a trial, and bribery of judges is commonplace. Suspects are often incarcerated long before any evidence is collected or presented by a prosecutor, and forced confessions are considered standard practice by Mikaean law enforcement. The prison system in Xyon is far worse than many of those found on Earth, with terrible living conditions, brutal beatings by prison guards, and an unacceptable number of rapes reported in almost all of the prisons located throughout Xyon. Prisoners are legally stripped of all civil liberties and protections, and the constitution of Xyon as well as the nation's penal code, state that prisoners have no rights under the law, and are treated accordingly. Abuse within the prison system between prisoners is rampant, and murders per capita within the corrective institution exceed those within the general population. The laws of Xyon are enforced by the Mikaean Security Forces, which function as the national police force of Xyon. The MSF is divided into sectorial operation areas, and maintains district stations in every district of Xyon. The force is noted for its use of lethal force in almost all instances where suspects may be armed, leading to shoot-outs in the streets of major cities, and typically resulting dozens of fatalities. Xyon has what many call a "runaway crime epidemic", with near apocalyptic levels of crime throughout the nation, rivaling that of many unstable nations on Earth. Because of this, a strict " " exists in the Mikaean law enforcement system, with heavy-handed tactics utilized by Mikaean police to deal with the nation's crime waves. Suspects are often executed by officers for misdemeanors, and a blind eye is given to extrajudicial rapes and beatings by the government. The desire to deal with the crime issue has also seen the government maintain lax gun ownership regulations in the country, leading many to blame such policies for the crime epidemic. All law enforcement agencies are under the supervision of the Directorate of Love, which controls the MSF as well as the near omnipresent Vanguard for Peace and Security. The Vanguard serves as a national militia and volunteer force, which assists the security forces in policing neighborhoods and monitoring suspicious behavior in their areas. Serving as a vast "morality police", the Vangaurd keeps tabs on nearly all Mikaeans its members come across, and has volunteers ranging from teachers, to students, to clergy, and simply office clerks, making the government's oversight in the cities inescapable. The force also provides extra manpower to the police through its uniformed members, who are typically assigned to low-end responsibilities such as breaking up fights, apprehending thieves and low-level gang members, as well traffic duty. Members in good standing with the Vanguard can see themselves fast-tracked through Xyon's labyrinthine bureaucratic system, or given many government privileges for their work and loyalty to the state. Foreign relations Military The Mikaean military forces are known as the Xyon Armed Services, which itself is broken down into three branches; the Obsidian Guard, the Mikaean National Guard, and the Vanguard for Peace and Security. The Obsidian Guard is the foremost military force of the armed services, and represents the best trained and equipped combat units available to the government of Xyon. It consists of three branches and 813,217 active personnel, though it is unique in that it lacks reserve force. The Obsidian Guard recruits all of its members from the other three branches of the military, ensuring a high level of professionalism within its ranks. It is the only combat force permitted to operate within the borders of the Capital Region of Xyon, and may freely operate in any of the sectors of Xyon without having to request the permission of the sector's government. All high-tech equipment such as direct-energy weaponry, shielding, anti-gravity technology, and advanced robotic systems, are reserved for use within the Obsidian Guard, and only the Obsidian Guard. It owns its loyalty to the office of the Supreme Director, and ensures the security of the government, serving as a "republican guard" as well. The Mikaean National Guard is the second branch of the Xyon Armed Services, and the second-largest in terms of size and equipment. In spite of its name, it is a fully-fledged combat formation, and operates as the primary conventional military forces of the Mikaean government. Consisting of 2,677,248 active personnel and 3,145,604 reservists, the National Guard is responsible for tackling any military operations the Obsidian Guard refuses to waste its elite personnel on, effectively handing the MNG the bulk of the work related to Xyon's defense. The soldiers of the National Guard are typically poorly trained and lack discipline, notoriously corrupt in its dealings, and have a dubious record of combat effectiveness. It is further crippled by incompetence at the command level, which has contributed greatly to the poor discipline of the troops. Unlike the Obsidian Guard, the National Guard is instead equipped with kinetic weaponry, ballistic mesh armor, and wheeled or tracked vehicles, all cheaper and easily replaceable alternatives more in accordance to the equipment of most Western militaries on Earth, rather than the futuristic equipment of the Obsidian Guard. Mikaeans tend to join the Nation Guard when they cannot pass the stringent tests and background checks of the Obsidian Guard, leading to criminals filling many of the ranks of the second-largest combat forces in Xyon's possession. The next branch of the military is the Vanguard for Peace and Security, which is a paramilitary force responsible for policing the neighborhoods, schools, and businesses of Xyon. Though it is not a truly combat-ready force, the Vanguard's role as a massive asymmetrical army and rearguard unit cannot be underestimated. A total of 24,864,838 Mikaeans are members of the Vanguard, though only 1,301,345 are full-time professional members. The Vanguard consists mainly of young Mikaean volunteers who serve as the military and security forces eyes and ears at home, helping to tackle corruption and criminal activity where the security forces cannot operate safely or openly. Similar to the of , the Vanguard operates cells of up to 200–400 members in areas all throughout Xyon as "morality police", keeping tabs on Mikaean civilians and military personnel, and even has cells operating on Earth in the Mikaean enclaves located there. During wartime, it would be the responsibility of the Vanguard to serve as a quasi-police force at home, freeing up forces of the Mikaean military and security forces to operate elsewhere. As a whole, the total combined strength of the Xyon Armed Services is 28,355,303 active personnel, not counting the 3,145,604 Mikaean National Guard reservists, or the 10,893,033 members of the Mikaean Security Forces, the heavily armed police force of Xyon. The budget for the military is $0.0 trillion, far greater than the combined military budgets of the nations on Earth. In the event of a Mikaean invasion of Earth, it has been agreed upon by several military analysts, that a Mikaean victory would be inevitable. The ability of Xyon to quickly replace its troops during times of war, combined with the Mikaeans natural resistance against radiation and therefore fallout of nuclear strikes, have long been a great boon to the planet's combat capabilities. However, the military is consistently handicapped by the unwillingness of the patriarchs who govern the households of Xyon, to contribute their resources to a war they do not wish to partake in. In spite of this fact, the XAS is undoubtedly the most powerful military force ever encountered by humanity, and the ability for Xyon to crush any human military coalition in an direct conflict has been the source of much fear by governments on Earth. Economy Energy Transport Science and technology Infrastructure Demographics According to the Bureau of Census and Allocation, Xyon had a total estimated population of 2,014,198,712 as of 2015. This places Xyon as the largest nation on record, with a population nearly twice that of . This was a 0.3% increase in the total population from 2,008,156,116 in 2010, when the last census took place. The sluggish population growth of Xyon has been attributed to the combined forces of the patricians having fewer children, Xyon's high homicide rate, and the dangerous working conditions for laborers on the planet. Despite this, Xyon's population is classified as "stable" by the federal government, and programs to maintain this level of growth have been launched by the office of the Supreme Director. Comparatively, Xyon is the most homogeneous country known to humanity, with 100% of its population being Mikaeans, with the exception of the 1.3 million permanent residents from Earth, though these humans are not counted in the census, and not regarded as citizens by the federal government of Xyon. Of these human residents, half of them hail from the and , where the Xyon-Earth Void Gateway is located. Another 300,000 are from the , and consist of scientists, industrialists, and skilled laborers working on the planet as part of an cultural exchange program with Xyon. 130,000 are Chinese nationals who are also working on Xyon as part of the cultural exchange program, along with a further 100,000 Japanese citizens, 80,000 Russians, and 35,000 South Koreans. The remaining 10,000 or so humans on the planet hail from several other developed or newly industrialized nations, taking part in an array of training programs offered by the Mikaean government. Many Mikaean organizations have held a hostile view of the humans on the planet, though they have often protested peacefully, and through the legal system of Xyon, though the government maintains a neutral on the issue. Some one million Mikaeans reside on Earth, almost all of whom are located within United States and Canada. The sex ratio on Xyon is often regarded as one of its most famous features. The Mikaean population consists almost entirely of females, with a sex ratio of 0.001 boys for every 100 girls, or 1,000 men for every 100,000 women, just about 1% of the Mikaean population. Having its roots in the reproductive crisis the creator of the Mikaeans was faced with, all reproduction on Xyon is taken up by the men, who alone are capable of producing offspring. Given the unique position of Xyon, minorities, with the exception of the token Mikaean male and human populations, do not exist on Xyon. Homosexuality as a concept was long unknown to the Mikaeans, who instead see their unique biology as having nothing to do with homosexual concepts, and therefore do not support LGBT groups over on Earth. The government and the population's stance on such groups is that of outright hostility, and on many occasions, the Mikaean government has aligned itself with anti-LGBT forces on Earth, such as those in , , and in the wake of those countries' anti-gay legislative actions. Urbanization Xyon is heavily urbanized, with more than 85% of its total population, about 1.7 billion people, residing in urban areas of the country. There are a total of 000 cities in Xyon, with 242 of them boasting populations exceeding more than a million permanent residents. Because of the nation's stabilized birth rate, all major cities are expected to only witness marginal growth rates, as new residents either move into the city limits are migrate from other areas of Xyon. Mega-cities are common sights in Xyon, leading to a method of demarcation where cities are divided into numbered zones, and serving as the second to last administrative division in Xyon for time-saving reasons. As a result, censuses taken by the government are highly accurate, and the planning of urban expansion a far less expensive operation than it would have been without the current system. Languages The official language of Xyon according to its constitution is , in particular the variant known as , the dialect spoken by their creator Mikael O'Neill. The language was passed down by O'Neill after he settled on Xyon, and wrote into the Ebon Chronicles, a comprehensive phonological system encompassing his particular pronunciation of words in his language, ensuring that all Mikaeans would speak the dialect as he did. The language's consistency throughout Xyon has been secured by the psychological imprinting of the Mikaeans by their creator, making the language the natural form of verbal communication for the race, and preventing dialects from forming over time and distance. It is, however, not unknown for foreign words to be found in the Mikaean version of English, as in all languages using loanwords. The Mikaeans recognize no other languages within their government, and only the languages spoken by the human population consisting of visitors, business-people, and expats, are acknowledged by the state, with translators trained by Xyon to assist those visitors needing to deal with the government. The writing script of Xyon for English, however, is completely different from that for English found on Earth. The Mikaean script is the dominate script used by the government of Xyon and the population of Mikaeans for writing English, as well as for signs, advertising, and warnings. O'Neill sought to replace the Latin script with his own, originally to conserve ink while one alone on the planet, as well as to make his "clumsy" handwriting easier to read for others with a simple writing system, thus cutting back on any potential misunderstandings in his writings. Religion Education Healthcare Culture Art Architecture Music Literature Media Cuisine Mikaean cuisine is well noted for its lack of diversity, no doubt due to the homogeneity of crops and wildlife on the planet of Xyon, and therefore presenting few options for a wide range of dishes to choose from. However, this is not to say that the Mikaeans lack a highly refined culture of dining. When O'Neill arrived on Xyon, he seeded the planet with flora and fauna from the temperate rain forests of Earth, mostly from the Pacific Northwest of North America, and introduced into the many lakes and water bodies of the planet freshwater fish such as salmon and catfish. Mikaean cuisine is largely built around meats such as beef, poultry, and fish, cheeses, grains, stews, and rich desserts. Mikaean dishes revolve around meats with lots of spices and typically served with broth. The near absence of fruit and vegetables as part of the meal is likely due to the shared traits the Mikaeans share with their creator, who despised plants as a food. In spite of this, the Mikaeans do consume editable plants as part of their diet and cuisine, though it is typically rare as a main dish or as part of an entrée, and more common in Mikaean stews. Mikaean desserts are generally very sweet and sour, though richer ingredients such as chocolate are very popular within Mikaean desserts. Desserts are brightly colored and presented in a wide range of flavors, mainly those shared with the ancestor of the Mikaean people. Citruses and berries are the primary ingredients utilized in Mikaean confectioneries, lending the Mikaean desserts their signature sweet and sour flavors. Mints are extremely commonplace within Mikaean cooking, especially as part of drinks and remedies. Alcoholic beverages tend to follow the same course as Mikaean desserts, with focus on sweet and sour flavors for the drinks popular in Xyon. As is the case with the desserts, alcoholic drinks tend to have a citrus or mint taste to them, while fruit wines draw from the berries which are growth virtually everywhere throughout the planet. Mikaeans drinking culture is omnipresent throughout Xyon, with Mikaeans drinking excessively, with the average Mikaean drinking about 20 liters of alcohol per capita, more than any other nation on Earth. Sports Category:Xyon Category:Copyright